Fabric-slitting machine



1,647,837 A. c. MASON FABRIC SLITTING MACHINE Nov. 1, 1927.

Filed Dec. 924

Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR G. 'MASQN, 0F HAWTHORNE, NEW JERSEY;

FABRIC-SLITTING MACHINE.

Application filed December 8, 1924. Serial No. 754,504.

This invention relates tomeans for slitting fabrics, and it has for its object to provide an apparatus whereby fabrics may be slitted precisely in a line from start to finish between two predetermined parallel-extending threads (warp or weft) without possibility of the slitting medium digressing from its exact line of slitting so predetermined. Given separate means to respectively support the fabric and the knife in slitting relation to a fabric and between its two threads where the predetermined slitting line lies, one of said means being movable lengthwise of the threads relatively to the other to cause the slitting, the invention contemplates freedom of the knife to shift laterally. I have found that with the knife so arranged the slitting will proceed absolutely as predetermined, the knife remaining constantly between the original two threads however sharp the knife may be, in the case of many fabrics even if there be a quite considerable relative displacement laterally ,as between the knife .supportingmeans and fabric. It is not indispensible vthat the knife in shifting remain perfectly parallel to the two threads, although in the case of some fabrics better results are obtained if thisis so. the embodiment of the invent-ion herein set forth, where the knife in shifting laterally moves in an arc of a circle, the knife is also pivoted so as to preserve itself in parallelism to the two threads. in construction in which the knife moves with a swinging portion of its supporting means has an advantage over one wherein the knife would move rectiline-ally laterallyin that the displacement of the knife laterally ensues with less friction and binding, and since it can therefore shift laterally with greater freedom the slitting operation may be carried on more rapidly. WVher-e the knife is shiftable in an are extending laterally or crossing the threads between which the knife operates'in slitting and there is means normally urging it to a definite position in such are find that it is better that the convex rather than the concave side of such are face oppositely to the direction in which the fabric opposes force to the knife in the slitting: thus assuming the knife as herein shown to be mounted on the free end of a flexible elastic blade 00 which projects oppositely to such force, said force then becomes a factorgin Fig; 2 is a section view on the line 2 2,

Fig. 3 shows the knife and a portion of its supporting means in sideelevation, the latter partly in section; V

Fig. 4C is an elevation of what is shown in 3 as seen from the fabric side thereof;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3.

The fabric to be slitted iswound upon a beam or which is supported to revolve in brackets projecting from the'lower portion of an upright frame 6. From. this beam the fabric extends up to and over two guide rods 0 and {lat the top of the frame and then down around the relatively opposite sides of two horizontal bars 0 of a tensioning means f pivoted on a horizontal axis between the two bars, the desired resistance to the advance of the fabric by the take-up means and consequent tension between such take-up means and the means f'being effected by turning the latter means on its axis by operating the handle 0 thereof. From the tension means the fabric then extends in contact with the corresponding or front sides of two fixed bars h and then down behind l'lXGCl horizontal bars a and finally to the take-up beanij on whlch'it 1s wound; this beam may be driven by having its shaft -7c,']OlllIl2ll6Cl 1n the frame hiceared in any suitable way with the shaft ofa motor Z. The control of the advance of the fabric may be effected by a brake m which bears on" a brake wheel n the shaftk and is carried by a lever 0 normally influenced by a spring p to set the brake and stop the rotation of the beam, eing a'treadle lever which is connected with thelever oby a pitman'r and which the V o aerator holds deoressed when the beam is 1 l allowed to oe rotated so as to advance the fabric for carrying on the slitting operation.

A knife-supporting means or frame the portion of wh1ch which holds each knife is capable of shifting laterally with respect to the threads between which the slit is formed, is constructed as follows: In brackets aprojecting forwardly from the frame is arranged a horizontal rock-shaft 25 having a controlling handle a. A description of one of the illustrated knife-holding portions of the knife-supporting means will serve for all: A collar 1; is secured on the shaft adjustably by means of a set-screw w, and this collar has a radial projection 12. Secured to this projection and extending longitudinally thereof is a flat spring blade capable of flexing laterally of the fabric, the upper end of such blade having a head-piece y. In this head-piece, on an axis penetrating the plane of the fabric, is fulcrumed the knife which it will be convenient to form in two parts, to wit, a knife holder proper, or socket, 2 and a knife proper 3 removably held in the socket 2; the fulcrum of the knife is afforded by an arbor 2 having a suitable bearing in the head-piece 31 The cutting edge of the knife faces from the shaft 6 and viewing the knifesupporting means in its raised position, as shown, the end of the knife then adjoining the fabric is pointed (Fig. The knife proper may be securely held in the socket by giving its back edge a dove-tailed cross-section and forming the socket with a clovetailed slot to correspond, as shown in Fig. 5, the knife proper being entered into the slot from the outer end of the socket.

In operating the machine the attendant by releasing the brake by pressure on the foot treadle starts the advance of the fabric and while it is advancing he rocks the shaft t by means of the handle a in such direction that the knife or knives will penetrate the plane of the fabric between the bars h. The knives will laterally enter the fabric because they are pointed as stated, and the fabric being advanced, they will slit it with absolute accuracy, each keeping always between the same two threads extending lengthwise of the advance, without digression. Usually the sheet of fabric is in fact composed of a number of fabrics stitched together end to end and when one of the seams thus formed (as at 6, Fig. 2) approaches the attendant can swing the knives back by means of the controlling handle it until the seam has passed.

In the case of some fabrics, as where the threads running parallel with the slitting line are very weak or are kinked or caught with other threads, and also in order to increase the range of possible displacement of the fabric laterally of the knife, it will be of advantage to form the knife with lateral cheeks 3, 5, the effect of which will be to fend the flanking thread which happens to be subject to the pressure of the knife clear of its cutting edge, as shown in said figure.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for slitting fabrics havingthreads extending substantially parallel, the combination of a frame, a knife, and separate means to respectively support the fabric and the knife, the knife being positioned to slit the fabric between two of such threads thereof and one of said means being movable to cause relative movement as between the knife and fabric lengthwise of said threads and thus also cause the slitting, and the knife being shiftable laterally of and by such threads and having its shifting spring-opposed.

2. In an apparatus for slitting fabrics having threads extending substantially parallel, the combination of a frame, a knife,

and separate means to respectively support the fabric and the knife in slitting relation to the fabric and between two of such threads thereof, one of said means being movable lengthwise of said threads relatively to the other to cause the slitting and the knife-holding portion of the knife-supporting means being flexible and free to be shifted laterally of and by such threads.

8. In an apparatus for slitting fabrics having threads extending substantially parallel, the combination of a frame, a knife, and separate means to respectively support the fabric and the knife in slitting relation to the fabric and between two of such threads thereof, one of said means being movable lengthwise of said threads relatively to the other to cause the slitting and the knife-holding portion of the knife-supporting means being flexible and elastic and free to be shifted laterally of and by such threads.

Elli

Hit!

4:. In an apparatus for slitting fabrics having threads extending substantially parallel, the combination of a frame, a knife, and separate means to respectively support the fabric and the knife'in slitting relation to v the fabric and between two of such threads thereof, one of said means being movable lengthwise of said threads relatively to the other to cause the slitting and the knife-holding portion of the knife-supporting means being arranged to swing laterally of such threads and having the knife free to shift therein on an axis eX- tending through the plane of the stretched part of the fabric.

5. In an apparatus for slitting fabrics having threads extending substantially parallel, the combination of a frame, a knife, and separate means to respectively support the fabric stretched and also support the knife, one of said means being movable relatively to the other in a plane substantially parallel with the stretched part of the fabric to cause? the knife to slit the latter and the knife supporting means being movable into and out of a position where the knife penetrates said plane and having the knife-holding portion thereof flexible and free to flex laterally of the slit being formed.

6. In an apparatus for slitting fabrics having threads extending substantially parallel, the combination of a frame, means to advance the fabric lengthwise of said threads, a frame to move toward and from the plane of the fabric and includinga flexible portion carrying the knife and free to flex laterally of said threads.

7. In a machine for slitting fabrics between threads thereof extending close and parallel to each other, a slittingknife having on opposite sides thereof projecting cheeks set back from its cutting edge and each adapted to fend the thread flanking the same away from said cutting edge.

8. In an apparatus for slitting fabrics having threads extending substantially parallel, the combination of a frame, a knife, and separate means to respectively support the fabric and the knife. the knife being positioned to slit the fabric between two of such threads thereof and one of said means being movable to cause'relative movement as between the knife and fabric lengthwise of said threads and thus also cause the slitting, and the knife being shiftable laterally of such threads and being normally urged to a definite position in its path of shifting and being adapted to be so shifted by said threads from said position. 1

9. In an apparatus for slitting fabrics having threads extending substantially parallel the combination of a frame, a knife, and separate means to respectively support the fabric and the knife, the knife being positioned to slit the fabric between two of such threads thereof and one of said means being movable to cause relative movement as between the knife and fabric lengthwise of said threads and thus also cause the slitting, and the knife being shiftable in an are crossing such threads and whose convex side faces oppositely to the direction in which the fabric opposes force to the knife in the slitting, and said knife being normally urged to a definite position in said are and being adapted to be so shifted by said threadsfrom said position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ARTHUR C; MASON. 

